Alcohol regulations in Bulgaria

Licences needed

Tax Warehouse Keeper License (Лиценз за управление на данъчен склад) for production and storage of excisable goods under duty suspension; Registration in the National Register of Spirit Producers under the Wine and Spirits Act; Food Business Operator Registration with the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA).

Authority

National Customs Agency (Агенция "Митници"), Ministry of Economy and Industry, and Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (БАБХ)

Documents

Certificate of good standing/commercial register excerpt, proof of legal ownership/lease of production facilities, architectural and technical drawings, technological schemes and production specifications, measuring and control device certificates (automated reporting systems linked to customs), clean criminal record of managers, financial solvency/security guarantee.

Fees

Statutory state fees apply for license review and register entries pursuant to the Tariff of fees collected by the Customs Agency and Ministry of Economy.

Time to obtain

Approximately 1 to 3 months depending on inspection and meter calibration approvals.

Who can import

Any registered legal entity or sole proprietor established in the EU/EEA holding an EORI (Economic Operators Registration and Identification) number.

Licences or registrations

EORI registration with Customs; Registered Consignee or Tax Warehouse License if receiving excisable spirits under excise duty suspension via EMCS; VAT registration with the National Revenue Agency (NRA).

Authority

National Customs Agency (Агенция "Митници") and National Revenue Agency (НАП)

Documents

Single Administrative Document (SAD / customs declaration), Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading / CMR, Certificate of Origin, EUR.1 / invoice declaration (if claiming preferential tariffs), and EMCS e-AD (electronic administrative document) if moving within the EU under excise suspension.

Fees

EORI issuance is generally free or incurs nominal administrative processing fees; customs clearance services vary by customs broker.

Time to obtain

EORI is typically issued within 1 to 5 working days; customs clearance per shipment takes 1 to 2 business days upon filing complete paperwork.

Required

no

Process

Bulgaria does not maintain a pre-market label approval or brand registration system for spirits (no equivalent to US TTB COLA). Compliance with EU spirit drink regulations (Regulation (EU) 2019/787) and EU food labelling regulations (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011) is verified via post-market surveillance and customs inspections.

Authority

Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (БАБХ) and National Customs Agency

Documents and samples

No routine submission required; technical specification sheets, laboratory analysis certificates, and mock labels must be kept available upon request during audits or import clearance.

Fees

None for standard spirit imports.

Renewal

Not applicable

Time to obtain

Not applicable

No state monopoly on imports. For non-EU imports, goods are declared via the Single Administrative Document (SAD). Distilled spirits intended for commercial release onto the domestic market must carry an official Bulgarian excise banderole (акцизен бандерол / fiscal tax strip stamp) affixed to each container before release for consumption. Importers must purchase banderoles from the Customs Agency and supply collateral/bank guarantees. Commercial shipments require commercial invoice, transport documents, health/analysis certificate where mandated, and proof of origin.

0% for most pure distilled spirits under HS 2208 (whisky, vodka, gin, rum, neutral alcohol) originating from WTO member countries under the EU Common Customs Tariff / GATT 1994 zero-for-zero plurilateral agreement; specific duties or tariffs apply to certain spirit-based RTDs, liqueurs, or spirits with added sugar/fruit.

Excise duty is BGN 1,100 (approx. €562.42) per hectolitre of 100% pure ethyl alcohol (equivalent to BGN 11 per litre of pure alcohol, or BGN 3.08 per 700 ml bottle at 40% ABV). Standard VAT of 20% is levied on the CIF customs value plus import duty and excise duty.

Private wholesale and retail distribution is standard (supermarkets, convenience stores, specialized alcohol/tobacco shops, restaurants, and bars). Retailers require commercial registration, municipal trade notification/working hours permit, and registration with the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. No state retail monopoly. Municipalities may set localized operating hours for night establishments.

Allowed. Distance selling of alcohol within Bulgaria is permitted provided the seller verifies the purchaser is at least 18 years old and delivery agents do not hand alcohol to minors. Cross-border distance sales of excisable alcohol into Bulgaria from other EU countries are subject to the appointment of a registered tax representative in Bulgaria to settle excise duties and ensure Bulgarian banderoles are applied before delivery.

Mandatory particulars must appear in Bulgarian (overstickers/supplementary labels are permitted): legal sales denomination (EU Category name), nominal volume, actual alcoholic strength by volume (% vol), lot/batch number ('L'), country of origin, name and address of the EU producer/importer, and allergen declarations (e.g. sulphites if >10 mg/L, nuts, milk, gluten where applicable). Containers released for consumption must bear the official Bulgarian fiscal banderole over the closure. Specific pregnancy/health warning icons are not mandatory at national level unless using EU-wide voluntary warning standards.

Regulated under the Health Act and the Radio and Television Act. Direct advertising of distilled spirits / hard liquor (>15% ABV) is prohibited on radio and television. Indirect advertising of spirits (e.g., brand-only, corporate) is permitted on TV and radio only between 22:00 and 06:00. Advertisements of any alcohol cannot target minors, feature individuals who appear under 18, depict consumption while driving, or suggest physical, social, or sexual success.

Directly governed by Regulation (EU) 2019/787 and the Bulgarian Wine and Spirits Act: Whisky/Whiskey min 40% ABV (distilled from cereal mash, matured at least 3 years); Vodka min 37.5% ABV; Gin min 37.5% ABV; London Gin min 37.5% ABV; Rum min 37.5% ABV; Brandy min 36% ABV; Fruit spirits / Rakia min 37.5% to 40% ABV depending on standard GI specifications; Neutral alcohol of agricultural origin min 96.0% ABV.

No dry towns or territories. Sale of alcohol is strictly prohibited on the grounds of kindergartens, schools, student dormitories, medical facilities, sporting events, and youth-oriented public events (Health Act, Art. 54). Municipalities occasionally enact temporary bans on alcohol sales around election polling stations during voting days.

• Full implementation of Phase 4 of EMCS (Excise Movement and Control System) for intra-EU commercial movements of duty-paid excise goods.
• Maintenance of the standard 20% VAT rate across food, beverage, and hospitality sectors following the expiration of pandemic-era temporary reductions.
• Strengthened oversight and electronic reporting systems by the Customs Agency for tax warehouses and banderole management to combat illicit spirits trade.

Bulgarian consumers are increasingly shifting towards premium imported brown spirits (bourbon, Irish and Scotch whisky) and premium gin, supported by one of the lowest spirits excise duty rates in the European Union. Products can be brought into the country tariff-free under standard EU HS 2208 zero-duty lines provided local banderole and language requirements are fulfilled.

• National Customs Agency (Агенция "Митници")
• Ministry of Economy and Industry (Министерство на икономиката и индустрията)
• Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (БАБХ)
• National Revenue Agency (Национална агенция за приходите)
• Ministry of Health (Министерство на здравеопазването)

1. Customs Agency of the Republic of Bulgaria - Excise Duties and Tax Warehouses Act (ЗАДС)
2. Bulgarian Ministry of Finance - Legislation and Excise Rates
3. Bulgarian Health Act (Закон за здравето), Art. 54-55 (Alcohol sales and advertising)
4. Ministry of Economy and Industry - Wine and Spirit Drinks Act (Закон за виното и спиртните напитки)
5. PwC Bulgaria - Tax Summaries: Excise Duties and VAT
6. USDA Foreign Agricultural Service - Bulgaria Distilled Spirits Sector Report